Dead at Heart
by Melissa Black13
Summary: When women start being murdered in her small hometown of Bon Temps, Sheriff Emma Swan seeks help from an unlikely ally, Killian Jones, a 300-year-old vampire who owns a pirate themed bar in Shreveport. A Captain Swan/True Blood (or Sookie Stackhouse novels) crossover. Not necessary to have either watched True Blood or read the novels.
1. Chapter 1

**Summary:** When women start being murdered in her small hometown of Bon Temps, Sheriff Emma Swan seeks help from an unlikely ally, Killian Jones, a 300-year-old vampire who owns a pirate themed bar in Shreveport.

**A/N:** This is a Captain Swan/True Blood (or Sookie Stackhouse novels) crossover, but it's not necessary to have either watched True Blood or read the novels.

**Chapter 1**

It hadn't taken much convincing to get Graham to take her to the vampire bar in Shreveport: a hopeful smile, a little batting of the eyelashes, and his reluctance had melted away. Emma had only known him for a couple months, but the soft spoken, handsome vampire had gained her trust quickly after helping her out with a nasty bit of business at Granny's Diner one night.

She picked him up just after dark, and he folded himself gracefully into the passenger seat of her little beetle. He looked comically cramped but voiced no complaints.

"Sorry," she said anyway, putting the car back into drive. "I couldn't risk my patrol car raising suspicion."

"No apology necessary, Sheriff," he told her, and she could feel his eyes sweep over her as she pulled back out onto the street. "Although, I doubt anyone will be paying attention to what you're driving."

She chanced a glance over at him, not missing the way his fangs protruded out of his mouth slightly, before forcing her eyes back on the road. Well, she had wanted to spice things up with her wardrobe tonight and had chosen her tightest, shortest red dress. If his reaction was anything to go by, she had chosen well.

Any other time Emma knew she would have taken pleasure in his obvious arousal, but tonight wasn't about having fun. No, tonight, Emma Swan was a woman on a mission. Someone was killing women in her town, and as the sheriff it was her job to figure out who. So far, both of the women had had fang marks on their bodies, and while not being the cause of death, it was a pattern and one Emma knew she had to follow.

The ride from Bon Temp to Shreveport was mostly silent, though not entirely uncomfortable. Finally, Graham gestured for her to get off the freeway exit, and it was only a few more minutes until they pulled into the bar's crowded parking lot.

"'The Dead Man's Chest', seriously?" Emma asked dryly, reading the sign on top of the building. "What is it, some kind of pirate bar?"

"Yes," he answered simply, and while he didn't smile his eyes shone with amusement.

"Oh."

Graham was outside of the car and over to the driver's side, opening her door for her before she'd even cut the engine. He offered her his hand and she took it, marveling at the cool temperature of his skin. It was a bit eerie if she thought about it too hard, but vampires had been out of the coffin for 2 years, and it was high time she got over it.

"It's probably best if you stick close to me," Graham suggested, threading her arm through his.

"I can take care of myself, Graham," Emma said automatically, but made no move to pull away as they neared the front door.

"I know, but as your escort tonight, it's my responsibility to make sure nothing happens to you," he said, and she near rolled her eyes. Once upon a time, Graham had been Irish nobility and even being made vampire hadn't caused him to curtail his gentlemanly ways.

"Whatever lets you sleep at night," Emma muttered, before adding as an after thought, "Or morning, I guess."

The bouncer at the door nodded a greeting to Graham and checked Emma's ID before waving them through. Inside was like a whole different world. It was campy, kind of like what she'd expect a Pirates of the Caribbean themed bar at Disney world would look like, except for the glaringly obvious fact that half the patrons were sporting fangs. There were skull and crossbone flags hung all over the walls, along with netting and rope as from a ship. The staff, both human and vampire alike, were clad in various pirate get ups complete with bandanas and hats, long necklaces and gaudy rings. Here and there, tourists were interspersed with the patrons, snapping pictures and buying t-shirts and pint glasses with the club's logo on them.

"This is so bizarre," she said to Graham as he led them over to the bar. "Is this really where you guys come to get your rocks off?"

He shrugged. "For some it's a good place to meet people, perhaps pick up a willing meal, pardon the term," he added, seeing Emma's arched eyebrow. "For others, it's a very lucrative business investment."

Emma considered that while Graham ordered a Tru Blood (B negative) from the bartender who seemed to know him. Once he'd grabbed that for Graham, he turned to her. "And something for your date?"

Not his date, Emma struggled to suppress. "A rum and coke, please," she said instead, pulling two pictures out of her purse and sliding them across the bar. "And any information you can give me on either of these women."

* * *

The bartender, Smee, was almost no help besides being able to identify one of the women, Ariel, as a sometimes dancer. He got rather fidgety when she asked him who she usually hung out with, and Emma let it be, figuring she might be able to work on him later.

She steered Graham towards a table in the middle of the room, hoping the location would give her a good vantage point with which to study the crowd. There were less tourists inside now, and the bar seemed to grow darker, sexier, the music driving most of the patrons to the dance floor.

"Would you like to dance?" Graham asked, noticing where her attention was.

"I'm not here to dance, I'm here to-"

That was when she saw him, and the words died in her mouth. He was staring straight at her, his blue eyes seeming to pierce her soul. The small raised platform in front of the dance floor was made to look like the helm of a ship, and he sat on what appeared to be a throne right next to the wheel. Clad from head to toe in black leather, he looked every inch the pirate. On him it didn't look campy, it looked natural, like a second skin. Once he realized that he'd caught her attention he gave her a slow smirk, his fangs dropping down, and Emma resisted the urge to shiver.

"Who's that?" she asked Graham, taking a sip of her drink, trying to calm her suddenly racing heart.

"Ah, noticed Killian, have you?" he said, almost disappointedly. "He's the owner of the bar, and the oldest amongst us."

Emma knew Graham was about 200 years old, give or take, and she had a feeling she knew exactly about how old Killian was. "Let me guess," she said. "He was a legit pirate back in the day."

Graham raised his eyebrows. "The rumors say that he was Blackbeard's biggest rival," he told her.

Emma was still watching him watch her when a petite blonde dressed in a short green tunic appeared at his side and whispered in his ear. He chuckled to himself, licking his lips, before his eyes zeroed in on Graham. There was no mistaking the way he crooked his finger, beckoning him, them, over.

Graham tensed up next to her. "He's summoning us."

It appeared that Emma was about to get a lesson in vampire hierarchy. "Can he do that?"

"Unfortunately," Graham drawled, and even thought she knew he couldn't breath, he seemed to sigh as he stood up from the table. "Shall we?"

Emma took his proffered hand, grabbing her rum and coke, and together they crossed over to the raised platform Killian sat on.

Almost pointedly, the pirate vampire ignored her in favor of grinning at Graham. "Humbert!" he said, his accent different from her companion's. "Been a while there, mate."

"Well, the last time I was here, Jones, you stole away my dinner for the evening," Graham responded dryly.

Killian Jones' smile widened. "It's not stealing if she came willingly," he pointed out, before switching his gaze to Emma. "Wouldn't you say so, Miss-?"

She didn't answer right away, cocking her head to the side as she studied him. Up close he was impossibly gorgeous: dark, thick hair, just the right amount of stubble on his cheeks, and eyeliner that made his eyes seem brighter despite the dark interior of the club. He practically screamed sex, and if she wasn't careful, she would forget the reason she'd come here tonight.

"Swan. Emma Swan."

"A beautiful name for a beautiful woman," he said, raking his gaze over her in a way that made her feel warm all over. "Now, Tink tells me you've been asking questions of my bartenders. If you have anything to ask, please, ask it of me."

She blinked in surprise, but quickly regained her footing. "Right, well, I'm looking for information about these two women," she told him, producing both Ariel and Aurora's pictures from her purse and passing them to him.

He studied them for a moment. "You're in luck, love," he said. "I happen to know them both. Ariel has danced here quite a few times. Her mermaid routine is a particular crowd pleaser. And Aurora, well, I would have liked to taste her, but her boyfriend Phillip never was one to share." He glanced up at Emma, licking his lips as if imagining what she tasted like. "Has something happened to them?"

"They're dead," she said bluntly.

His expression clouded. "A pity, they were amongst the few humans I can stand," he said. His eyes flashed dangerously as he handed her back the photos. "I suppose you believe a vampire killed them."

"Actually, no," she corrected. "There was no evidence in either case to suggest their killer was a vampire. The were both bludgeoned to death. However, both women had recent fang marks on their bodies when they were killed."

Killian stroked his chin pensively, looking out over the dance floor. "That would seem to suggest a vendetta against women who consort with vampires."

As soon as the words were out of his mouth, it was like a light went on in Emma's head. Of course! Why hadn't she thought of that before? She loved Bon Temps but she knew it was full of bigots who were afraid of anything different than them. Quite a few people hadn't been too pleased when Graham moved to town, him being their first resident vampire.

"I don't think I have to tell you to take extra care with Miss Swan here, Humbert," the pirate said to Graham.

Emma made a noise of dissent in the back of her throat. "I can protect myself just fine, thanks."

"Emma," Graham warned, but it was too late.

Killian glanced between them with piqued interest. "You mean, you two aren't-?"

Graham's fangs popped down suddenly, immediately followed by Killian's. "Emma is mine," he growled.

Why me? Emma asked silently. "Um, no, Emma is nobody's but her own," she interjected, shooting Graham a glare that made him sheepishly retract his fangs. Sure, she and her handsome vampire friend had kissed, once, but that didn't mean he had a claim over her. "Now, if you two are done with this little pissing contest, I'd like to enjoy the rest of my rum and coke."

"Of course, where are my manners?" Killian made a quick gesture with his hand, and suddenly another chair appeared next to him. "Your company would give me great pleasure, love," he said, punctuating the word pleasure with smirk. "Perhaps I can still be of further assistance."

Emma exchanged a look with Graham. It was clear that the invitation did not extend to him, and his expression urged caution. Whoever this Killian Jones was, he was not someone to trifle with. If there was any chance of finding the killer in her town, though, Emma knew she had to take it.

With a nod to Graham, she stepped onto the platform and took a seat. "I didn't know pirates had manners," she said wryly. When she glanced back to where Graham had been standing, he was gone.

"Ah, a pirate I may be," Killian conceded, lifting her free hand to his mouth and pressing a kiss to the back of her palm. "But I am first and foremost a gentleman."

Emma's lips parted of their own accord, and she was suddenly unable to tear her eyes away from his. His touch was cool and yet the spot where his lips had caressed her skin seemed to burn. Luckily for her, he ruined the moment by rotating her wrist and sliding his nose along her pulse point.

"Mmm, you smell absolutely delectable, darling," he hummed, his fangs slowly emerging again.

She tore her hand out of his grasp at the sight of them. "Too bad you'll never get a taste."

Killian wasn't deterred or even slightly shamed. "Never say never, love," he quipped. "In my vast experience, it puts such a hamper on all kinds of possibilities."

Not knowing how to respond to that, Emma instead chose to take a sip of her drink and change the subject. "So, we've got Mr. Smee and Tink," she said, nodding to his two employees in turn. "Does that make you Captain Hook?"

He chuckled. "Guilty," he said. "Though I have the benefit of retaining both of my hands." He wiggled them in front of him making Emma bite her lip to hide a smile. "Tink's true name is Carina Tinkerella, though she actually does go by Tink. And believe it or not, my bartender's name is actually Smee. Funny how that works out."

"You've got your own little Neverland here," Emma commented, though she didn't remember any of the characters in Peter Pan sporting fangs. But none of the vampires here would ever grow old, they would stay static, never changing, until they met their true death.

"Aye, that it is," he replied, looking out across his bar solemnly, and somehow Emma knew that he was thinking the same thing as her. "And what about you, love?" he asked, gaze falling on her again. "Would you consider yourself a Lost Girl?"

There was no point in lying, she was sure he could hear her heartbeat, so she said nothing.

Killian leaned closer, eyes searching hers. "No matter, you're somewhat of an open book," he told her, and it was like the entire bar had faded away, like they were the only two people there.

"Oh yeah?" she challenged him, cursing the somewhat breathy quality of her voice.

"You're independent, somewhat of a loner despite being in a position of authority, a sheriff or at least deputy, I would wager," he recited, and Emma's eyes widened at the accuracy. His expression softened slightly as he went on. "Love has been all too rare in your life, hasn't it?"

This was getting too personal, and Emma did not do personal. She drained the rest of her drink and stood up. "Well, this has been a blast, but I think it's time for me to go."

Killian stood as well, staying her with a pair of serious blue eyes. "Before you do, just answer me this," he said. "Have you ever evenbeen in love?"

The silver necklace she wore around her throat suddenly felt like it was choking her. "No, I've never been in love."

"That is a great shame," was all Killian said, his fingers coming up to lightly caress her cheek. She let him, staying so still that she forgot to breath, and let out a deep breath when he dropped his hand. "In regards to your case, Miss Swan, please call on my assistance anytime. I am at your disposal."

He gave her a gallant bow, before disappearing in the direction of where the offices must have been. Graham was before her the second he was gone, helping her down from the stage.

"Emma?" he asked worriedly. "Are you alright?"

She shook herself out of her Killian-induced trance. "I'm fine," she told her, trying to muster up a smile. "Come on, let's get out of here. I want to make sure Granny isn't letting Henry wait up for me."

They made it out of the bar unmolested and packed back into Emma's tiny car. She only looked back at The Dead Man's Chest once, and somehow wasn't surprised at all to find Killian watching them go.

* * *

**A/N:** I have no idea where this is going, but let me know if you like it! If I get enough interest, I may continue it. I have a lot of ideas that incorporate some of the other characters, i.e. Ruby being a werewolf, bringing in Mary Margaret and David, and making Regina the vampire queen of Louisiana, so hopefully I can start to get stuff down on paper. Please review! :)


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary:** When women start being murdered in her small hometown of Bon Temps, Sheriff Emma Swan seeks help from an unlikely ally: Killian Jones, a 300-year-old vampire who owns a pirate themed bar in Shreveport.

**A/N:** This is a Captain Swan/True Blood (or Sookie Stackhouse novels) crossover, but it's not necessary to have either watched True Blood or read the novels.

**Chapter 2**

Granny was the next victim of the Bon Temps serial killer, and that was when it became personal.

For as long as Emma could remember it was always her, Ruby, and Granny Lucas. When Emma was two years old, or so the story goes, her parents were killed while on vacation in New Orleans. A mugging gone wrong, she was told when she got older. So, Emma spent some time in the foster care system, finally landing with the Swans, a nice couple from Baton Rouge. But when Mrs. Swan became pregnant with a child of her own, the Swans could no longer afford to keep Emma, and sent her back into the system. That's when Adele Lucas decided to take in another child to give her granddaughter Ruby, a companion. Ruby and Emma grew up as close as can be, like sisters to one another, and Granny, like the mother neither of them had ever had.

"I-I just don't understand," Ruby sobbed into Emma's shoulder. "Who would do something like this? G-Granny never hurt anyone."

Emma did her best to comfort her friend while struggling to keep her own composure. "I don't know," she said, her voice wobbling slightly. She couldn't get the image of Granny's beaten body out of her head. The stark contrast of her blood against the white tiles of the diner's floor would be seared into her memory forever. "I just don't know," she repeated dumbly.

Feeling absolutely helpless, Emma passed Ruby off to one of her deputies to take her statement. With shaking fingers, she dialed Graham's number and asked him to come to the crime scene. He must have been very close because within seconds, he had breezed into the diner.

His eyes darted around the scene, taking it all in, and his fangs dropped down at the scent of all the blood. She could tell the moment he realized whose body lay prone on the floor when his eyes flashed over to her. He was next to her immediately, arms winding around her and pulling her against his chest.

"I'm so sorry, Emma," Graham said as she stood rigid in his embrace, blinking back tears. She couldn't grieve now, not when she had a job to do.

Emma pulled back, giving him a tight lipped smile. "I need you to see if you can pick out the killer's scent," she told him, pleading with her eyes for him not to say anything else. If he asked her if she was okay, she knew she would fall apart.

He nodded. "Of course," he said. He walked around the crime scene, his nose twitching slightly the only tell that he was inhaling through it. To both of their dismay's, he was unsuccessful.

"There's too many scents in here for me to distinguish just one," he told her grimly. "I'm sorry I can't be of more help."

"It was a long shot," Emma sighed, waving his apologies away.

They remained silent for a moment, watching the Renard Parish forensics team take photos of the crime scene. Graham shifted uneasily and Emma, accustomed to his stillness, shot him a questioning look.

He wouldn't look at her. "This is my fault."

Emma raised her eyebrows at him. She had not been expecting that. "How _exactly_ is this your fault?"

"I've been staying in one of the rooms at Granny's inn for a few nights while they renovate my place to make it light tight," Graham explained, his accent thickening with his agitation. "If Granny hadn't've said yes, the killer never would have targeted her."

She was shaking her head before he even finished. "This is not your fault, Graham," Emma said firmly. "The only one who's responsible is the sick son of a bitch who's behind these killings. And I'm going to find him and make him pay."

* * *

_Easier said than done_, Emma thought a few nights later, as she slammed down the phone on another dead end. It had been a rough couple of days as she fought to keep her emotions in check. Henry had been understandably devastated, and she didn't know how to comfort him when she was barely keeping it together herself. The best thing she could think to do was set him up with a couple of appointments with Archie Hopper, the school guidance counselor and hope that he could offer her son some kind of closure.

Emma rubbed at her eyes in defeat. The coroner's report had come back the same as it had with the other two women. Granny, tough as nails and with a tongue as sharp as a whip, had been bludgeoned to death with the same peculiar shaped object that the medical examiner could not place. Gold flecks had been extracted from some Granny's wounds, but the material wasn't a match for anything in their system.

She had reached a dead end. There were no new leads, no fingerprints, and no one with any motive beyond the typical prejudices held by more than just a few people in Bon Temps. The killer had covered his tracks impeccably, and it made her burn inside with anger at the thought of him out there still, possibly seeking his next victim. Emma hated to admit it, but she needed help.

A quick Google search was all it took to get the number she needed, and she dialed it quickly in her cellphone before she could talk herself out of it.

"Dead Man's Chest, it's a pirate's afterlife for us, how may I help you?" asked a female voice on the other side of the line.

Well, cheesy slogan aside, at least she had the right place. She could hear the background noise of the club over the woman's voice. "Um, hi," Emma said tentatively. "I need to speak to Killian Jones, please."

"The Captain is busy, try again later," the woman responded immediately, a slight edge to her tone now.

Emma frowned. "Can you tell him that it's Emma Swan?" she asked, hoping she hadn't made a mistake in thinking he'd remember her from a visit that had been a couple weeks ago.

"I don't think that will make much of a diff-"

There was a pause as she was cut off, and suddenly there was a whooshing sound and the slamming of a door before the noise of the club were silenced, as if the person holding the phone had gone into another room.

"Miss Swan," came a smooth, accented voice, and Emma couldn't suppress the shiver that went down her spine. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your call?"

Emma sighed. Why couldn't vampires just say hello like normal people? "There's been another murder," she told him, cutting right to the chase. "This one hit pretty close to home. I've gotta find this guy, and, well..." She faltered for a second. "You did say you would help me if I needed it."

The other end of the line was silent. "I must confess, I am surprised you would take up my offer, love," Killian said finally, and she could hear the smirk on his face. "Why not go to Humbert?"

It was a question that Emma had asked herself, and she had yet to come up with an answer. "I don't know," she answered truthfully. "I just have a feeling you'll be able to help me more than he would."

Emma had learned over the years to always go with her gut, and her gut was telling her that somehow he would help her solve this case.

He was silent again, and Emma wished she was speaking to him in person just to be able to have a shot at gauging his answer by his facial expressions. "I like to think that I am a man of my word," Killian told her in a brisk tone. "Therefore, I will endeavor to help you in any way I can. Be at the club tomorrow night at 9 PM. Bring your case files."

A click signaled that he had hung up, and on her end Emma let out the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding and put her phone down. Apparently, vampires had trouble with goodbyes as well.

She threaded her fingers through her hair, and prayed that she wouldn't regret this. A quick glance at the clock in her office told her she had about 10 minutes to get home in time to tuck Henry in, so she packed up her things, locked up the station, and headed out. This time tomorrow night, she would be on her way to Dead Man's Chest.

* * *

The next night, she tucked Henry in tight, and kissed him on the top of his forehead. "Sweet dreams, kid," she said.

"You're going back to that vampire bar tonight, aren't you?" he asked before she'd pulled away. Emma gave him a look and he shrugged. "I may have overheard you talking to Aunt Ruby about it."

"Henry, what have I told you about eavesdropping?" Emma asked resignedly.

"Sorry," he said, only the slightest hint of sheepishness on his face.

Emma sighed. "I am going back to that bar," she told him. "But I don't want you to worry about me. I'll be fine."

"I know," Henry said, closing his eyes and settling into his pillow. "And I know you'll catch whoever killed Granny. Stopping bad guys is what you do."

Emma wished she had as much faith in herself as her son did.

When she came out to the living room, she started when she saw Graham standing next to Ruby until she remembered that she'd asked him to pop over.

"Maybe _you_ can talk her out of this," Ruby said to Graham, a sour pout on her lips.

"Out of what?" he asked, looking from her to Ruby in confusion.

Ruby shook her head and held her hands up in a universal, 'don't look at me' expression. "Be back before 2 AM or I'm sending in the state troopers," she directed at Emma, before stalking off into the kitchen, her long, raven hair swinging after her.

"She's just being dramatic," Emma said, shrugging into her leather jacket. Emma knew her best friend probably wouldn't have accepted the babysitting job if she hadn't been desperate to get out of the inn, where everything reminded her of Granny. She headed out the front door and Graham followed her. "I'm going back to Dead Man's Chest tonight."

"You're _what_?" Graham practically shouted behind her. He was usually so soft spoken that it surprised her momentarily.

"Killian said he would help me with this case," she reasoned. "I'm running out of options at this point, and it's only a matter of time before the killer chooses his next victim."

"Emma, you can't go to Killian," Graham implored. "If he helps you, he'll want some sort of favor in return. You can't trust him."

"I'm only telling you as a courtesy," Emma said bluntly. "I'm not asking for your permission _or_ your protection." He opened his mouth to protest, but she rounded on him, cutting him off. "I'm not yours, Graham. _You_ may think I am, this whole _town_ might think so too, but have you ever even asked me out on a date?"

He floundered, his mouth opening and closing for a moment, before he sighed and shook his head ruefully. "No, I suppose I haven't," he said. He stepped closer to her, though, eyes holding hers seriously. "But Emma, you don't know Killian like I do. He was a dangerous man and he's become even more so as a vampire."

"I think I need dangerous if I'm going to stop the guy," Emma blurted out, eyes darting away from him. Vampire though he was, Graham was decidedly not dangerous, what with his waistcoats, perfectly gelled hair, and penchant for dart playing.

"At least allow me to come with you," he said after a moment. "Please."

Emma considered it. There was stubborn, and then there was stupid, and she would be bordering on the latter if she chose not to bring him with her.

"Fine," she said, rolling her eyes at his smug look. She pointed a finger at him. "But I don't need you and Killian getting into it, so whatever you have against him, check it at the door, got it?"

Graham nodded. "Consider it checked," he said, and sped over to the passenger seat as if she was going to drive off without him.

A minute later they were on their way to Shreveport for the second time in two weeks.

* * *

The bar's parking lot had a bunch of cars in it, but there was no bouncer or line at the front door. Instead, a notice had been tacked up that said, 'Closed for Staff Meeting.' Emma raised her eyebrows at Graham who shrugged in return, opening the door and ushering her through.

Without the loud music, flashing lights, and pirate costumes, Dead Man's Chest looked kind of like a grungy seafood restaurant. Situated at the tables, were several people, human and vampire alike, and Emma recognized a couple of them from when she'd been there last.

Suddenly, a tiny blonde woman appeared in front of her. "Perfect, you're here. We can start soon," she said, smiling brightly. The effect was somewhat ruined by her protruding fangs. "We weren't properly introduced last time, but I'm Tink."

Emma blinked at her. "Um, Emma," she returned, eyeing the other people over her shoulder. "Are we interrupting something? Killian told me to be here at 9."

"Nope, not interrupting!" Tink told her. "Come on, Killian wants to see you in his office beforehand."

_Before what?_ Emma wanted to ask, but followed along after Tink anyway. Beside her, Graham's jaw was set tensely, but he remained silent. She suspected courtesy kept him from saying, 'I told you so.'

Tink led them past the bathrooms to where Killian's office was situated, entering a code on the door, and gesturing them in ahead of her. Killian was seated at his desk, but rose to his feet when she walked in. Today he was without the pirate get up, but still in black, with black jeans and a black t-shirt on that hugged his figure enticingly. Her mouth practically ran dry at the sight of him.

"Ah, Swan, glad you could make it," Killian said, his blue eyes smoldering at her. He didn't look surprised to see Graham, and gave him a short nod. "Humbert."

"I brought the files," Emma said, before either of them could say anything else. He crossed to in front of his desk, and she handed him the stack.

Which he promptly took one contemplative look at before tossing them on his desk.

Emma narrowed her eyes at him and crossed her arms. "You didn't bring me here to look at the files, did you?"

Killian's patronizing smile did little to calm her down. "Yes and no," he said, leaning back against his desk. Emma felt Graham shift restlessly behind her. "I'm going to help you solve your case, but not before you help me solve one of my own."

Emma almost wished she'd brought along little wooden bullets for her gun. She would have loved to put a couple holes in him. "Is this some sort of game to you?"

"No, I assure you, this is nothing like a game," he replied, deadly serious now. He nodded to Tink and she handed her a piece of paper. "One of my employees is stealing money from me, and I want to find out who."

Emma peered down at the paper. If the numbers here were correct, Killian was out about $25,000; a nice chunk of change. "And you want me to do what, exactly?" she asked, looking back up at him. "Interrogate these people until one of them confesses?"

He leaned closer to her, that insufferable smirk on his face again. "I want you to use your _superpower_."

It was a shame she had never quite perfected her pokerface. "My what?" she repeated, resisting the urge to look at Graham accusingly. She had told him about that in confidence.

"Your 'superpower'," Killian said again. He gestured to Graham with a nod of his head. "Graham tells me you have the ability to detect lies. A handy little talent to have as law enforcement, I'm sure." He smiled, probably noticing the dirty look Emma threw at Graham. "Don't be mad at Humbert. After our first meeting, I made him tell me everything about you, and as his superior, he couldn't refuse."

"You're kind of a bastard, you know that?" Emma couldn't help but blurt out.

Killian laughed openly, but didn't deny it. "You're not the first person to tell me that, love, and I'm certain you won't be the last." He sobered up quickly, though, holding her gaze with his. "Help me, and I will help you find the killer in your town, Emma," he told her. "I promise."

What she should have done was walk right out of there and found a different solution; talked to more people, chased down more leads. But Emma was never one to dwell on shoulda, coulda, wouldas.

"Okay, I'll help you."

* * *

**TBC**

**A/N:** I'm so floored by all of your guys' reviews for Chapter 1! So glad you all liked it and are excited for this fic! I for one am SOOOO excited, and I have a ton of ideas for where all of our favorite Once characters fit into this world! A bunch of people called for Neal being the killer for obvious reasons (for those who don't know, Michael Raymond-James played the killer, Rene in True Blood), but I have other plans for him in this fic, so he will be there somewhere down the line!

If you liked this chapter, please let me know! Your reviews will only encourage me to write the next chapter faster :)


	3. Chapter 3

**SORRY TO EVERYONE WHO GOT A NOTIFICATION AND THE CHAPTER WASNT HERE! **I posted this like last night at 10pm and notifications weren't bring sent out, so I deleted it. Apologies!

**Summary:** Captain Swan meets True Blood, staring Killian and Graham as vampires, and Emma as the town sheriff who gets sucked into their crazy world.

**Chapter 3**

Emma's "superpower" wasn't something that endeared her to many people, especially the small-minded kind of people she'd grown up with. Kids didn't tend to like the freak who could always tell when you were lying at Go Fish, which made her childhood a rather lonely one, minus Ruby's friendship, of course. As Emma stood in front of the bar next to Killian as he addressed his staff, she knew her superpower wouldn't make her very popular here, either.

"Someone here amongst you is a thief," Killian said, looking at each of his employees in turn. "And tonight we will determine exactly which one of you it is."

He began to pace in front of them, hands behind his back, and it wasn't hard to picture him doing the same aboard the deck of a pirate ship.

"Now, I believe myself to be quite a laid back, even benevolent, employer," Killian went on. "Do you not get paid vacations? Do you not get sick leave and holiday bonuses? What cause someone would have to steal from me, I know not, but know this," he said, stopping and narrowing his eyes at them. "When I have found the culprit, I shall not be so lenient. They will be punished in any way I see fit. If, however, that person should happen to come forward at this moment, I might be persuaded to show them mercy."

There was silence in the room as the staff eyed each other uneasily. "No one?" Killian asked. He smiled thinly. "Wonderful, then we will proceed."

He turned and gestured to Emma. "This is Sheriff Swan," he told them. "She will be questioning each of you. If she finds you to be free of suspicion, then you may go. Smee, you're up first."

Killian led them over to a more secluded part of the room, and she sat down across the table from the heavyset bartender who swallowed heavily.

"I swear I had nothing to do with the money being stolen, sir," he said to Killian, and despite his nervousness, Emma knew he was telling the truth.

Killian peered at him from where he was leaning against the wall nearby with Tink and their business partner Felix, another vampire. "Just answer her questions, Smee," he said, and nodded to Emma to begin.

She took a readying breath, eyes darting to Graham who also stood nearby, arms crossed over his chest. He gave her an encouraging nod, and she turned back to Smee.

"Alright, name and position?"

* * *

Emma started off by asking everyone general questions to get a feel for how they responded to things. She asked them about their job and about what kind of boss Killian was and whether they enjoyed working there. Although it would have been hard to say anything against the man when he was staring them down, the general feeling Emma got was that Killian was actually a well-liked boss, almost to the point of being hero-worshipped. The women were in love with him and the men (were also some of them in love with him) wanted to be him.

It grew clear as they went on that not one of the people she'd interviewed so far had any idea about the missing money. Their accountant was practically on the edge of a nervous breakdown as he explained that one day the money had been there and then the next, it was gone. But he was telling the truth when he said he had no idea who had gotten their hands on the money or how.

Finally, Tink brought over the last employee, a voluptuous brunette dressed in a barely there crop top and skirt. She looked disgruntled as she sat down across from Emma, but was quick to throw a flirtatious look Killian's way.

"Candy, the Sheriff here has some questions for you," Killian told her. "Be a good girl and answer them, will you?"

"Aye, aye, Captain," the girl said, batting her eyelashes at him, and Emma wanted to gag. She recognized the woman's voice from yesterday on the phone.

"Candy's not your real name, is it?" Emma had to ask.

Candy looked at Emma like she'd found her stuck to the bottom of her 4-inch stilettos. "Of course, it is," she snarled.

**Lie.**

"_Mmhm_, right," Emma said. "Well, now, _Candy_, what is your position here?"

"Any position Captain Jones wants," Candy simpered, giving Emma a smirk.

Emma couldn't resist throwing Killian the dirtiest, 'you've got to be kidding me' look. He arched an eyebrow at her, grinning for the first time all night, and the effect was striking to say the least. She immediately directed her attention back to Candy.

"Right, well, do you think you could expand on the extent of your other duties for me?"

Candy sighed like what Emma was asking was the biggest imposition, but went on to explain that she was both a waitress and the bar's day person. While the vampires were dead for the day, she handled deliveries, maintenance issues, and made bank deposits. The latter caught Emma's attention immediately.

"Then, you have access to the bar's safe and account numbers, I take it?" she asked.

This made Candy hesitate. "Yes," she responded.

"Candy, did you take Killian's money?" Emma asked bluntly, studying her every facial expression.

"Of course not!" she exclaimed, looking imploringly at Killian. "Captain, you know I would never!"

Again, not a lie, but not the truth either. "She didn't take the money," Emma stated firmly, and Killian's eyes flew over to meet hers. "But I think she knows who did."

"What?" Candy cried, chest heaving with manic. "That's crazy! This bitch has no idea what she's talking about!"

"Candy, do you know who stole my money?" Killian asked, edging closer to her, his eyes glittering darkly.

"No!" the girl insisted.

**LIE_._**

God, this would be a lot simpler if she could just read her mind, Emma thought. And then, a funny thing happened. As Emma tried to concentrate on figuring out how to draw the truth out of her, the girl's voice sounded in her head.

_I'm gonna die. Lord, please, help me, I never should have agreed to help him. _

"Help who, Candy?" Emma blurted out.

Candy stared at her. "I didn't say anything."

The vampires were looking at her strangely, too, but Emma couldn't dwell on that, she was too busy listening to Candy's thoughts bounce around in her head.

_Keep it together. He's gonna kill you if they find out!_

"Who's gonna kill you, Candy?" Emma asked urgently. "What's his name?"

"Uhh," Candy hummed, and suddenly her face and mind went completely blank.

Emma huffed in frustration. "I can't get a read on her," she said. "It's like her mind's been wiped."

"She's been glamoured," Tink said instantly.

Emma's eyes widened. "It was a vampire."

And Candy didn't dare look in his direction, but she couldn't keep her mind from bringing up his face, and Emma gasped aloud. Before she could say anything, Felix was bearing down on her, knocking her right to the ground, his fangs bared and his hands around her neck. He was choking her and all she could think about was Henry and what would happen to him after she was dead.

Suddenly, a ripple went through Felix and the pressure around her neck was gone. She could do nothing more than watch in horror as he spewed out blood from his mouth and disintegrated right on top of her, coating her in his remains from head to toe. And kneeling in front of her, fangs bared, stake in hand, and eyes hard with anger, was Killian.

Emma's lips parted, and she drew in a shuddering breath. Some of Felix's blood was in her mouth, and she leaned over and attempted to spit it out. Killian regarded her warily, both of them tuning out Candy's sudden frantic screaming.

Slowly, Emma took stock of herself. There was sludge everywhere, in her hair, in her eyes, all over her clothes. "This was my favorite jacket," she croaked. It hurt to speak, and she couldn't stop the tears from welling up in her eyes at the pain.

The sight of which seemed to compel Killian into action. "Tink, find some appropriate clothes for Miss Swan to change into. Humbert, glamour this little incident out of Candy's mind for me." He wrapped one arm around her back and one arm under her knees and hoisted her carefully up off the floor.

"Maybe I should—" Graham started, but didn't finish, and Emma distantly saw the commanding glare Killian threw his way.

The former pirate carried her down the hallway to his office, but bypassed that door in favor of another that said 'Employees Only.' Inside was a sort of locker room, and Killian brought her directly to the showers. He set her down gently, steadying her when she swayed a bit.

"Are you alright, Swan?" he asked, studying her.

Emma wanted to laugh. She'd just been almost chocked to death by a vampire before having said vampire be staked whilst on top of her, covering her completely in his remains. A hysterical giggle escaped her. "I'm just dandy," she said hoarsely, wincing at the pain in her throat.

Killian's hands came up to tilt her head so he could study her throat. Rage burned behind those too blue eyes of his. "I would stake him twice over for marring your lovely skin," he growled. He considered her bruises before drawing his wrist up to his mouth and biting it with his fangs.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

He offered his bleeding wrist to her. "Drink," he commanded. "My blood with heal your wounds."

Emma knew all about V, she was a sheriff after all, and she looked from him to his wrist skeptically.

He sighed. "Vampire blood straight from the vein is different from V, love," he told her, guessing her thoughts correctly. "Your throat will take many days to heal, but my blood will heal you almost instantly. Now, if you don't drink, the wound's going to close up."

He situated himself behind her, bringing his arm around in front of her and offering it up to her mouth. Slowly, and feeling distantly as thought she would come to regret this, she drew his wrist up to her mouth, closed her lips around his wound and sucked.

The sound of his fangs snapping down, coupled with his low groan sent white heat straight to her core. He pushed closer to her, wrapping his free arm around her waist and pulling her back to grind his erection into her ass. His blood was thick with a metallic taste to it, but the more she drank, the more she wanted. His other hand made its way up from her waist to caress her breast, eliciting a moan from her, but it was the feeling of his fangs pricking her throat that brought to back to her senses. She struggled in his arms momentarily before he released her, and she spun around, putting a good couple of feet between them.

His pupils were fully blown, his fangs were bared, and he was looking at her as though he were an alcoholic and she was a bottle of his favorite liquor.

"My apologies," he murmured after a moment, his eyes clearing. "You are, quite simply, intoxicating, Swan."

Emma had no idea how to respond to that, especially seeing as how she was covered in blood and sludge; figured that that would be attractive to a vampire.

Luckily, he continued on, "Tink will bring you clothes and a towel. I will take my leave, unless…" He paused, heat simmering in his eyes again and a fangy smirk on his lips, "You require assistance?"

The shock was finally wearing off, and she felt much more like herself as she sent a dubious look his way.

His smirk widened to a full on grin and he nodded. "Another time, then," he conceded, before disappearing out the door.

When he was gone, Emma began the grisly task of peeling off her soiled clothing, tossing all of it into a nearby trashcan before hopping into the shower. She stood under the stream of hot water until the water flowing into the drain was no longer tinged red. Bits and pieces of vampire clogged the drain, and she tried not to gag. Never in a million years would she have ever imagined herself in this situation. It was just ridiculous. And what made it even more so was that now she somehow owed Killian Jones for saving her life.

Shaking that thought out of her head, she turned off the water and pulled back the curtain. Tink was standing there with a towel in her outstretched hand, and Emma clutched her chest in shock.

"Jesus Christ, could you not do that?" she asked, forcefully aware of the fact that she was stark naked.

Tink was unfazed. "Sorry!" she chirped, and with her fangs down like they were now, she reminded Emma a bit of what a vampire Barbie might look like. She took the proffered towel and wrapped herself securely in it. Tink set some clothes on the end of a nearby bench. "You need any help?"

Emma snorted. She and Killian obvious spent a lot of time together; they were so similar it was almost scary. "I think I can handle it from here," she told her.

The blonde pixie shrugged. "Suit yourself!" she said, and was gone in a flash.

Shaking her head, Emma regarded the clothing Tink had brought her. It was all merchandise from the bar's gift shop: a Dead Man's Chest t-shirt, a pair of shorts with a fanged skull and crossbones on them, and a pair of panties that had 'Ahoy!' printed across the ass. Charming.

Once she'd dressed and used the comb Tink had left with the clothes, she finally felt like a human being again. She slipped on the flip flops Tink had provided and made her way back to the bar. The area where Felix had been staked was now spotless, and the air smelled strongly of bleach. Killian and Tink looked to be in a serious conversation by the stage, and Graham sat apart from them nursing a Tru Blood. When he spotted her, he was instantly on his feet zipping in front of her.

He gripped her shoulders. "Emma, are you al—" He stopped abruptly, inhaling deeply through his nose. His eyes widened in horror. "You've taken Killian's blood," he whispered, before whipping his head around to glare at the vampire in question. "You gave her your blood?" he asked him accusingly.

"He did it to heal me," Emma came to his defense, and it had worked because the pain was completely gone. She felt better than ever, actually. "Or did you miss how Felix tried to crush my windpipe?" She wasn't bitter or anything, but where exactly had Graham been when she had been getting the life choked out of her?

"Emma, you don't understand," Graham told her as Killian watched on coolly. "Our blood doesn't just heal. He'll be able to know things about you now. He'll be able to feel your emotions, be able to find you wherever you are. You're_ connected_ now."

She could feel the panic in her rising as she looked from Graham to Killian, who didn't deny anything. "You son of a bitch," she bit out, clenching her hands into fists. Seriously, why did she always forget to bring her gun with the wooden bullets when she came here?

Killian held up his hands in a placating gesture. "No need for name calling, love," he said. "'S bad form. I had no ulterior motive in giving you my blood other than seeing to your wounds. The other effects are just ancillary benefits."

He shrugged, increasing her anger tenfold. She couldn't believe she'd come here for his help, couldn't believe she'd let herself trust him. When would she learn?

"Graham, let's go."

She made a beeline for the exit, but Killian blocked her path. "Wait, Swan, I—," he stumbled over his words as she glared up at him. "I apologize. I shouldn't have taken advantage of you like that."

"Damn right, you shouldn't have," she snapped, crossing her arms over her chest. Face to face with him, she couldn't forget the way he'd held to her tight against him or the heat that had risen between them.

"It was never my intention for you to get harmed tonight," he continued on, and Emma wished she had the strength to look away from his eyes. "And I'm sorry for that as well. I am very grateful for your assistance, however. I am in your debt. Once I am done with my affairs here, I will devote my full attention to your case, that I promise you."

Emma swallowed the lump in her throat at his words. "Yeah, whatever," she said dismissively, and brushed passed him on the way to the door without so much as a goodbye.

The fresh air of the parking lot made her feel almost numb, and Graham was at her side as they crossed the now empty parking lot. "Why don't I drive?" he suggested lightly, and Emma handed over the keys, suddenly too tired to argue.

She slumped into the passenger seat, and let out a deep breath when they finally pulled out of the parking lot. Grabbing her phone from her bag, she texted Ruby that she'd be home son, hoping her friend wouldn't pester her with questions about why she'd left wearing one outfit and returned wearing another one.

"Emma?" Graham asked hesitantly, shattering the silence in the car. "What happened back there when you were questioning Candy?"

His words brought back the unfamiliar sensation of hearing Candy's voice in her head. After shit had hit the fan, the incident had completely slipped her mind.

"Honestly, I have no idea," she said. "One minute, I was reading her lies and then the next I was—"

"Reading her mind," Graham finished, an indecipherable edge to his voice.

"Yeah." Emma shook her head. "Nothing like that's ever happened to me before."

He didn't respond and Emma glanced over to him. His lips were pursed as if he wanted to say something, and when his eyes darted over to her, she urged him on with a raise of her eyebrows.

"You must tell no one of this," Graham said tersely. "It's dangerous enough that Killian knows. If anyone else were to discover your powers, it could spell trouble for you and your boy."

Emma said nothing in response, and the rest of the ride back to Bon Temps was spent in silence. Her mind was reeling internally, though. Powers? The vampires coming out of the coffin had opened her mind up to a lot of things, but a belief in magic was not one of them. She wasn't freakin' Harry Potter for Christ's sake. No, whatever had happened tonight was a fluke.

Ruby was luckily too firmly embroiled in her own troubles to barrage Emma with questions about her night, and accepted Graham's offer to walk with her back to the inn. Emma checked on Henry, who slept soundly in his bed, blissfully aware of her bizarre night, before slipping up to her room. There she took two Benadryls, and crawled under the covers; the last thing she needed was to have any nightmares of what had happened back at the club. She was out within minutes.

* * *

The next morning, when she went outside to get the paper, there was a package on her front step. On top of the package was a stack of newspapers from another small town in Louisiana, all dated 1989, and all had to do with a serial killer who was bludgeoning young women to death. A note written in elegant penmanship sat on top.

_Swan,_

_Dawn is rapidly approaching, so I must be brief. Your case might be even more dangerous than originally thought. When I saw the photos of the crime scenes and victims, they immediately reminded me of another serial killer with the same methods in the late 80's. One of his victims was a companion of mine, a woman named Milah. I hope these newspapers will be of some use to you as it would give me great pleasure to see the bastard who killed her brought to justice at your hand. _

_As for the second package, I know it cannot begin to make up for what happened last night, but it is the least I can do. It was never my intention to betray your trust, and I shall endeavor my hardest to win it back. I would ask that you be careful, but I know you would just insist that you can take care of yourself. _

_Yours,_

_KJ_

Slightly stunned, Emma's eyes darted around her front lawn as if Killian was hiding out behind a tree (which was ludicrous in and of itself since it was light out), before picking up the package and bringing it inside. She set the newspapers aside to be inspected later, and started tearing at the tape at the top of the box, more than a little curious about it's contents. When she parted the flaps, a gasp escaped her lips involuntarily.

Nestled inside amongst the tissue paper, was a brand new, red leather jacket; an exact replica of her favorite one that had gotten ruined the night before.

* * *

**TBC**

**A/N:** Thank you all again for your reviews! I cherish each and every one of them! This chapter was really fun to write, and with every chapter I find myself thinking of more and more future plotlines, so I hope you'll all stick along for the ride! Please review! :)


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